What’s the story behind Hermann Göring’s fast-track rise from the rheumatism-and-rat-infested trenches, to his becoming the commander of Von Richthofen’s “Flying Circus,” only 3 months after the Red Baron’s death? I was surprised to find out, while working on my Great War-era novel The Passions of Patriots.

My work-in-progress is not about First World War aviation, but curiosity about Von Richthofen’s demise briefly sidelined me into research that could help with character development. Thus, I will not be reviewing these books (except to note that Killen lost credibility when he made a statement about Göring’s appearance that is disproved by photographic evidence), but I include their cover art here, for readers who may be interested in delving deeper into the topic.